The Kids Are Alright

I don't have any kids, but I really do like them. Kids are awesome in so many ways. I just felt compelled today to pay tribute to these great people.

Most of my favorite memories are from my childhood. It was a wonderful journey. Being around kids now always takes me back to that time in my life when I had no idea what stress was or what fatigue was. One of the things that makes me happiest is talking to my little nephew Jadon (the blondie on the bottom left in the picture) about his day.

Jadon makes everything in his life sound so great. He speaks with such excitement in his voice about school, the weather, riding his bike, finding bugs outside. Oh my gosh, the kid is a ball of boundless energy! He's always cheerful and upbeat, and he never fails to make me laugh.

On my list of why kids are awesome, their positive attitude is number one. Here's the whole list:

• They have a positive attitude. Kids don't just look on the bright side - they own it. To a kid, anything is possible.
  



• Kids are encouraging. Without even knowing that they're doing it, kids can lift adults' spirits with a story or joke, an impromptu smile or hug, or just any little thing they do that brings a smile to a grownup's face.



• Kids are very resilient. They bounce back easily from disappointment. Look at how a little kid falls down and starts to cry. Then, five minutes later he's up and running around again like nothing ever happened. Wish I could be that tough!



• Kids can make you see things in a whole new way. It's pretty cool looking at things with kids. Their observations can give you a fresh take on an item or a place, or help you appreciate it that much more. And of course, it's most fun watching them see things for the first time, like the lake or an elephant at the zoo!



• They offer lots of free entertainment, and they get adults talking. For example, I got to hear some great music recently when Jadon was playing his own rendition of soft rock on my electric keyboard. Then there was the baby in the shopping cart at the store that had all of us ladies in the checkout line talking about how adorable he was.
  


• They can touch your heart with their sweetness. With just small gestures, too. I was bowled over last spring when Jadon offered me a bouquet of dandelions he'd picked.



• They can help you get in touch with your inner child, or bring back memories of your childhood experiences. It's always fun to pull out the crayons and get creative, or build something with blocks. I guess there are some things from childhood that never really get left behind completely. My older nephew Nick (center in the picture) got to spend time with me before I had MS, so he got the piggy back rides and got me to climb hills and chase him and all that good stuff. But no matter what you do together, you can get so much out of spending time with kids.

The kids are definitely alright.